Record Screencasts Online With These Tools

Sometimes words are not enough to explain things. Whether you are explaining how to do something on Photoshop or training people how to use a specific software, screencasts can be a great way to explain things as the user can see what is happening on the screen. If you search the internet, you will come across many different tools like Camtasia, Jing, etc. that allow users to record their screen, but majority of these tools require payment and may not be feasible for a normal user.

The following are a list of a few online utilities that allow users to record screencasts online without installing any third party applications on their computer.

1. Screenr

Screenr is a very useful online tool that allows users to create screencasts online in a few simple clicks. Make sure you have installed Java on your computer, otherwise it will not work. After creating the screencasts, you have the option to publish it on Screenr or the connected social network.

To publish the screencast, you must log in to Screenr. The service allows users to log in using Facebook, Twitter, Google, Yahoo, LinkedIn or Windows Live ID. By logging in to Screenr, you can manage all your screencasts from the Screenr dashboard. After publishing the screencast, the service gives users a link to share the video. You can even download the video in .mp4 format or share it on YouTube.

The only drawback I found with this service is that it allows users to create screencasts of up to five minutes. It shouldn’t bother most of you as most screencasts are five minutes or less. One thing to bypass this limitation is to create multiple screencasts and merge them later using a video editor.

2. Screencast-O-Matic

Screencast-O-Matic is a very popular online screen recording tool that allows users to create recordings of up to fifteen minutes and publish them on YouTube or save them online on Screencast-O-Matic. If you want, you can easily convert and download the video to your computer as well. You can also sign up for an account on Screencast-O-Matic, create channels and custom links to your screencasts and share items with anyone you want.

Just like Screenr, make sure you have the latest version of Java to make it work. After that, all you have to do is visit the Screencast-O-Matic homepage and click on the Start Recording button. It will bring up a small screen which can be customized according to your needs. After recording your screencast, you can easily save it online or embed it on your website or blog or share it with anyone using a direct URL.

Screencast-O-Matic also offers Pro accounts for $15 per year that offer many advanced features including cloud uploads, publish screenshots, password protect videos, edit videos and much more.

3. Screenbird

Screenbird is yet another online tool that allows users to create screencasts online. With Screenbird, you can record a screencast of your entire screen or a selected region on your screen. In a free account, you can record up to 150 minutes of screen time, but the video will expire after six months.

The recorded videos can be played on any device along with the option to upload the video to YouTube. One thing I like about the service is that before finalizing the screencast, you can edit your recording and select your desired region from where you want to start the recording.

Conclusion

All the tools mentioned above are great and offer a variety of features to record screencasts online. It all depends on your own preference which one suits your needs. Personally, I really like Screenr, despite the drawback that it only allows the recording of screencasts up to five minutes.

Do you use any of the above mentioned tools to record screencasts online? If you think we missed any tool from the list, please share with us using the comments section below.